Babies. Sigh. They grow up so fast, don't they?

Take it from a mom. Yeah, they do. So fast that anything you buy them will be too small within weeks. Babies wake up from their naps bigger than when you put them down. Toddlers grow like little weeds, AND they play so hard their clothing gets worn out before you get your value's worth. By the time they're in elementary school, the little nits seem to outgrow/ruin their clothes weekly.

That's why thrift stores are the only place to shop for kids.

Everyone has one (or two) of them in his family: The official holiday spirit monitor. Always pulling out the precious collectibles (whether that's emotional or monetary value should be left to another blog post). The bad news? Their houses are virtual minefields for little children, or the more clumsy among us. The good news? It's always really easy to shop for them. In fact, that good news can also be bad news when you're browsing in thrift shops and see the display of vintage Santas or artsy menorahs. Surely Aunt/Grandma/Mom/Uncle Kelly would love those!

Wait. Don't take that Father Christmas, complete with swan and gold accents, down from that high shelf! Can you get it for the same price (or less) at those after-Christmas sales? Probably. You'll think it's just the thing in the thrift store in October, but play patience and wait until December 27th. You'll get it for a great reduction -- most stores sell merchandise after the holidays for 70% to 90% off -- and without those character-adding chips and missing fingers. What's more, you can bask in the satisfaction of not having been taken in like all the eager souls who paid full price.

And just think how much Aunt/Grandma/Mom/Uncle Kelly will appreciate having a nice box, complete with styrofoam inserts, to store it in.

This post was written as part of a series on how to thrift shop smarter. Read more on what to buy, and not to buy, at thrift stores.

I'm not much of a shopper, but there's one place in Columbus that turns me into a kid in a candy store. That place is The Habitat For Humanity Build It Again Center.

The Center, a K-Mart-sized building on the north side of town, is jammed with building supplies donated by homeowners, contractors, and companies in the Columbus area. Everything from countertops to cabinets, conduit to concrete, stairs, doors, windows, and more are for sale. All is new or gently used and priced so reasonably you can't say no. What you see is what you get, though, so be prepared to work your plan to the size of your discoveries, rather than vice versa.

The profits go to support Habitat's programs, but that isn't the motivation behind the Center. Manager Rob Cramer told me that the main purpose for the program was to reduce the amount of serviceable goods that end up in the landfill.

The Center certainly does that. On any given day, he estimates 100-300 people can be found scouring the aisles for the right supplies to turn their pad into a palace.

Where else can you find such a win-win opportunity? Help reduce waste, help fund Habitat, and save yourself some serious coin. I'm looking for a new garage door, so you might just find me there. And remember, if there's anything especially cool for sale -- I saw it first.

This post was written as part of a series on how to thrift shop smarter. Read more on what to buy, and not to buy, at thrift stores.

I'm one of those people who believes in the power of books. Books should never be given away! Books are always good for you, no matter how bent or broken their spines. Books can solve anything.

That was, until I had small children. Who also loved books. So much so that they sucked on, ripped, wrinkled, and played sword fights with them. It brings new meaning to the word "bibliophile."

For many books, it's ok to let them suffer a little. Board books, after all, are meant to be licked a little by baby mouths, discovering what books are all about. The library people even have a name for it: "early literacy." But those cheap staple-bound picture books? At 50 cents from a thrift store, I'm saving a few dollars -- I can get any installment in the whole Berenstain Bears oeuvre for $2.99 apiece at my local bookstore. Saving $2.49 sounds like a good plan at the time. But when I lose half the pages within a few weeks, I'm several dollars' worth of crazy.

When it comes to a few dollars or your sanity, I think you know the way to go: get the books new! They'll last longer and they're guaranteed to already have all their pages. And that will feel so good on your linear brain.

This post was written as part of a series on how to thrift shop smarter. Read more on what to buy, and not to buy, at thrift stores.

Talk about being a label whore!

It's the first thing you should do when shopping at a thrift store: Check the label. When I see a fabric or a pattern I like in a pile of clothes at the thrift store, the very first order of business is to check the label. This is your first test to see if it's worth buying. Is it Gap? Old Navy? Cherokee? Chances are, unless it's an unusual item or the very piece you're hunting for, this garment will go right back on the rack. I can get Cherokee new at Target. Gap and Old Navy clothes are cheap already, and cheaply made in general. Not likely to hold up to anymore use after it's already been used and packed off to a thrift store.

But there are brands out there that are worth picking up. Hanna Andersson, for example, is a fairly expensive Swedish brand that makes brightly-colored clothes for kids with a reputation of hardiness. These pieces last for years, on multiple kids. If you find them at a thrift, snap them up -- they'll serve your kids well, and their younger siblings, too. Ralph Lauren, J. Crew, or a host of other lesser-known quality brands will get a place in my cart as well. L.L. Bean sweaters that I know retail for $50 and up are always good buys, when in good condition without tears or obvious stains.

You can find designer labels, too. I'm always delighted to find pieces by Max studio and BCBG at a thrift store because I know what they sell for at the mall. I recently found a black Trina Turk top in my size at my local thrift that would have sold for several hundred at the upscale shops around Los Angeles. I bought it for $4.50

Got a mall brand you trust? Look for it at the thrift store, instead. You'll still love that argyle sweater in 18 months, long after the original owner got sick of it.

This post was written as part of a series on how to thrift shop smarter. Read more on what to buy, and not to buy, at thrift stores.

I'm a sucker for a cute jacket. And growing up in Portland, Oregon, if I had a storybook vision of myself with kids, it was walking along with them, dolled up in mis-matched raincoat and boots, splashing in puddles and laughing uproariously. So whenever I'm thrift store shopping and see another adorable pair of boots or delightfully colorful rain jacket, I can't help but swoop it into my cart.

And then I get it home. And then it rains. And the trouble begins.

Raincoats and rubber boots are, unfortunately, about more than just good looks. They have to work. Even if you're an adult and accustomed to more prosaic rain behavior than my rambunctious boys: you may, for instance, desire to keep dry. When you're facing a used raincoat, that could be problematic; waterproofing is compromised when a garment is washed, for instance, and heavy use can introduce all kinds of entry points for raindrops and wind. Not only is it a possibility that the raincoat is only at the thrift store because it's not working for the original owner any more; but many thrift shops wash all their clothing before putting it on the racks, further reducing the waterproof qualities.

Rubber boots, though not susceptible to wash-and-wear treatment, are often not made to withstand several seasons' worth of jumping in puddles and running to catch the bus; you're better off as the first person to use a pair, or you could discover this truth seconds after you step in that giant puddle that always collects at your corner in a rainstorm. Sploosh.

My verdict after a couple of really messy experiences? You shouldn't thrift raincoats and rubber boots, unless you live in an area where rain is just in the storybooks.

This post was written as part of a series on how to thrift shop smarter. Read more on what to buy, and not to buy, at thrift stores.

I have a bin in my basement. It's filled with brightly-colored plastic toys, each with dozens of buttons and a little plastic grate inside which is housed an electronic speaker. They've come from various sources -- a well-meaning aunt or uncle, a thrift store, a great sale at the supermarket -- and they've all ended in the same place. Banishment.

If someone else can't stand the noise, do you think you're going to be able to? Having been in this parent business for going-on-six years, I can personally vouchsafe for the typical parental behavior when faced with a Toy That Drives One Crazy. First step: Hide the toy. Second step: When the child finds the toy, again driving you crazy, you find a better hiding place, usually a garbage bag on the back porch or in your car trunk. Third step: Deliver bag stuffed with equally annoying toys to the nearest Goodwill or thrift store. Fourth step: Drive away fast, don't look back.

Chances are, that toy that's so alluring to your child in the thrift shop was victim to the four-step crazy-making toy program. You should definitely leave toys that make noise at the thrift store, where they can annoy the staff. After all, they're paid for this!

This post was written as part of a series on how to thrift shop smarter. Read more on what to buy, and not to buy, at thrift stores.

I used to be something of a mall rat, flashing my plastic to buy whatever pretty thing was on sale! (40% off way too much, whee!). And then I grew up, got a couple of kids, and discovered real happiness at the Goodwill Outlet in my town (we call it "the Bins"). All the same fashions as the mall -- well, all last year's fashions -- but sold for 69 cents a pound. True love ensued.

Now I'm a savvy "picker," a woman who knows what to look for and can spot a valuable find an aisle away. I've also filled up big boxes of failed purchases to send back for some other unschooled thrifty soul. Here are a few things I've learned:

Do thrift: Coffee mugs. I don't know about you, but I love a cute mug. It makes me happy, sitting there on my desk, and I'm always wanting to spend $9.99 on a cool new shape at Starbucks. But wait! In another year it will be calling your name in a bin at your friendly thrift store, for 99 cents, and you won't mind so much when you drop it. After all, there's sure to be another great new mug waiting in the wings.

Don't thrift: Baking pans. Why do I persist in believing I can scrub that spot of rust off? I've ruined a fair number of perfectly good cupcakes with (ahem) "vintage" baking pans I found for such a bargain. New loaf pans, cupcake tins, and pie plates are the way to go here.